The Lundy's Lane Battlefield from 2018

 

 Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Lundy's Lane in 1814.  Here are some pictures and insights from my 2018 visit.

  If Chippawa is a battlefield preserved, Lundy's Lane is a battlefield lost—or at least obscured. The urban sprawl of the modern day town of Niagara Falls has almost obliterated the battlefield. Still, there are hidden nuggets to be found to reward a visitor searching for a link to the past. After all, the history of one of the largest, deadliest and most confusing battles of the War of 1812, can still compel one to visit the site.  

  Lundy's Lane Battlefield was a tourist tradition from about 1820 until 1865, in part because both Americans and Canadians claimed victory, contributing to its popularity. Large observation towers were constructed and veterans from the battle served as guides. After the American Civil War the appeal of visiting Lundy's Lane was eclipsed by more recent and vast battles in places like Gettysburg and Antietam. The Lundy’s Lane observation towers were eventually torn down, which helped make room for attractions more familiar to us now.

  Today, it's almost like the town has become one giant theme park! Because the battlefield is so built up, with a major roadway cutting across it, carrying buses and cars with people from all over the world to see the natural wonder of Niagara Falls. And all the tourist trappings such as wax museums, fast food places, parking lots, and souvenir shops, it takes some imagination to walk the land and picture how it was back in the summer of July 25, 1814. Thanks to the personal efforts of Miss Ruth Redmond, a schoolteacher, who bought up parcels to keep from development, at least some of the battlefield was saved.

  I recommend you start with a visit at The Niagara History Museum, about two blocks down the road. The very friendly Canadians there gave me an excellent walking tour map which is a must-have to visit the area. In addition, the Museum has a succinct exhibit about the Battle of Lundy’s Lane and the War of 1812. There are uniforms, artifacts and stories about soldiers from each side. A short audio visual presentation features reenactors in period uniforms. Best of all there’s a hands-on opportunity to try on reproduction uniform coats and shakos from the 8th Regiment of Foot, and heft a reproduction musket. It was great fun watching children (as well as a few adults!) enjoying these items.

From the Museum you can walk up the road to Lundy’s Lane Battlefield as parking can be difficult. Or, you can follow our lead and stop at the nearby Starbucks. I got a head start, marching off, books and maps in hand to explore, while Janine parked and got us an iced coffee.

After successfully navigating the onslaught of traffic, across the busy street I found the site of the Red Meeting House (which is still a church) and the cemetery (which has greatly expanded). These landmarks allow one to mark out positions of the British line and American attacks with some accuracy.

My march across the paths to the southeast corner of the cemetery led me to find the area where American Colonel James Miller and his 21st US Infantry regiment surprised and captured the British artillery line. His iconic answer when asked if he could capture the guns, "I'll try sir!" is the motto of the present day 5th Infantry Division. Examining the folds of the ground and imagining the fading light, I could better understand how he managed this.

In the cemetery there are a number of markers and monuments. As a resident of Massachusetts, I looked for and found the marker to Captain Abraham Hull of the 9th US Infantry regiment who was killed during the battle and buried on the field. He was the son of General William Hull who surrendered Detroit and nephew of Commodore Isaac Hull of the USS Constitution. With him are buried nineteen other American soldiers who were discovered in 1900 and reburied here. There is always something moving and mysterious about the graves of unknown soldiers

On the Starbucks side is a park with waysides, markers and displays (along with the small Battle Ground Hotel Museum which was closed). Walking down the slope I found where General Drummond rallied the British and Canadian forces to try and retake the captured cannon atop the hill. It was near here, between the Americans on the top of the hill and the British on the lower slope where General Winfield Scott stumbled in the dark with the remnants of his brigade. This was after dark and the fighting had been raging at point blank range. Marching his brigade between the two antagonists in the pitch darkness his men were decimated by musket fire of friend and foe and he himself badly wounded. Fighting in this area continued until just after midnight. Exhausted, both sides withdrew ending the fighting.

I enjoyed my visit very much and came away with a better impression of what happened during the battle. I’d like to emphasize the value of a good map, as it will reward a visitor with a better understanding of this complicated and confusing battle, as well as sort through the modern day landscape for clues to what it once looked like. I walked the field with A Crucible of Fire, by Robert Feltoe, which greatly assisted me.  The best study of this highly confusing battle is Donald E. Graves's "The Battle of Lundy's Lane: On the Niagara in 1814."

Six years blogging anniversry

  How time marches on!  Six years ago I started this blog and here was my first post.

Welcome!

   Ever since I can remember I have loved toy soldiers. As a very young boy I was thrilled to discover an exciting diorama of the Battle of Lexington Green in my public library.  My parents would drop me off at the library and after getting a arm full of books I would stand in wonder in front of it.  As with most future wargamers my first toys were boxes of the airfix plastic soldiers.  Games at this time consisted of setting up the soldiers (mixing waterloo highlander with union and confederate soldiers) and knocking them down with marbles.  My introduction to miniature war games came with the discovery of the original Courier magazine.  Not the glossy publication but the small booklet hand stapled.  To me it opened a door to a wonderful lifelong hobby which has brought me many happy memories and a number of true friends.

  Now, over fifty years later I  am still passionate about this great hobby.  While many periods and armies have come and gone I have determined to limit myself to a handful of armies.  My motto is now more playing and less painting!  I hope with this blog to share my table top armies and their adventures.

  Since that time I have met, through Gaming in person, the blog world and the internet a great many people and exchanged ideas and posts about our hobby.  I have learned a lot, and had great fun doing so.  I have greatly enjoyed seeing how others have approached things like terrain painting and organizing their miniature armies.  I have especially enjoyed the battle reports and pictures of how others fight out miniature battles on the table top. and their fascinating game ideas and scenarios.   

  All in all the hobby, the blog and the interaction with you out there has greatly brighten my life and brought a smile to my face. Its gotten me through difficult times and made good times better. 

   Thank you all so very much.  Now, lets play a game!

Lt. Richard Williams and the 23rd RWF Fusilier cap

 

 Here is a watercolor of a fusilier of the 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers on guard duty in Boston in 1775. 

   It is part of a multi plate watercolor  panorama of Boston done by Lieutenant Richard Williams of the 23rd.   He mentioned in his journal sitting stop a hill in Boston to paint this.  A full size copy of the entire panorama is on display at the Battle Road Visitor Center, Minute Man National Historical Park, Lincoln, Massachusetts. 

  Did Fusiliers wear their caps in America?  I am not sure if the 7th or 21st did but the 23rd most definitely.   Here is a  fusilier of the 23rd on guard duty in Boston in one if Williams watercolors.  He is identified by his cap, the blue facings on his coat, no shoulder wings and the three feathers of the Prince of Wales in his cartridge box and rear of his cap.  All of which are very clear in the original works.

  Just before the 23rd were sent to America in 1773 they were inspected and it us mentioned they had just received new caps.  Prior to that they had paraded in hats (i.e. cocked hats).    

  The new caps was light weight and folded flat.  It was constructed around a tin front plate which gave the cap it's outline and shape.  The bear skin was sewed around it.  Here are pictures of a original cap's various pieces to show how it was put together. Note the bear skin sewed in shape, the tin plate it is attached to and front plate to cover it.  There is a linen cap inside the cap and decorative cords outside.  The only part missing is the red wool covering the back.

   For daily wear Grenadiers or Fusiliers would wear a cocked hat.  The cap was worn for guard duty, parades and also sometimes early in the war into battle.  At the Battle of Brandywine September 1777 the commander of the 2nd Grenadier battalion Colonel Meadows addressed his soldiers, "Grenadiers, put on your caps (bearskins); for fighting and drinking I'll match you against the world!". So it is possible that Fusiliers likewise wore their unique head great into battle.  In 1779, according to records the 23rd asked their agent in London to not send replacement caps to America. 

 For additional information please see;
Nichipor, Mark A. "Richard Williams and the Cartridge box badge of the Royal Welch Fusiliers."
 Military Color for and Historian, 37 (summer 1985), pp. 93-94.

History is everywhere, including at the doctors office!

 

  I had to go into Boston to met up with my neurosurgeon and go over my MRI results.  Janine says where ever I go I attract historical markers.  And this trip was no exception.   Recently Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has placed a number of these historical markers throughout the grounds and inside the buildings.

  In the early 19th century the buildings there were the Harvard University school of Medicine as well as the Charles street jail.  But it is the site of the Harvard Medical School (HMS) building which was the most interesting.  

   This case is still  used today as a president.  It was one of the first cases in the United States that dentist records were used to identify the victim in court.   I read later that when Charles Dickens visited Boston the first site he asked to visit was  the late Dr. Webster's lab and the scene of the crime! 

For more information about this case:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkman–Webster_murder_case

Rifle units in the American Revolution

 

   One of the more unusual and colorful units of the American army  were its rifle armed regiments.  Dressed in colorful uniforms these units were armed with the more accurate rifle.   Because they saw service through the war they add a colorful and unusual element to your army.

  Uniforms for these troops were anything but uniform.  Usually dressed in the hunting shirt and trousers, a round hat and leather accutraments.  These differed from men to man and a wide range of freedom is granted to the wargamer in painting these figures.  Shirts were usually brown or tan but could also be green, black, or blue.  Sometimes the fringe of the shirt was dyed a different color.  This makes it easy to create a pool of figures that can be brought together for any campaign or battle.

Some historical regiments included the following regiments:

Campbell's (Richard) Virginia Rifle battalion: numbered about 200 men and fought at Guilford Courthouse.  A smaller number later saw service at Hobkirk Hill and Eutaw Springs.

Campbell's (William) Virginia Rifle battalion: Fought at King's Mountain and another group later saw service in the Virginia campaign under Lafayette.

Parr's Pennsylvania Rifle battalion:   Raised in July 1781 and served during the Yorktown campaign.  This same officer  appeared to have commanded the Pennsylvania Rifle men during Sullivan's 1779 campaign.

Lynch's Virginia Rifle battalion:  fought at Guilford Courthouse and a smaller group later served with Greene until the end of 1781.

Pennsylvania State regiment:  The Pennsylvania Battalion of Rifles and the Pennsylvania Battalion of Musketry, were raised in February 1776.   They were organized into two battalions of riflemen commanded by Colonel Samuel Atlee and one battalion of musket men commanded by Colonel Samuel Miles.

   Sent to New York city to join the main American army under General Washington they arrived On 11August and were assigned to the brigade commanded by Brigadier Lord Stirling.  During the Battle of Long Island (27August 1776) both  battalions were decimated. Colonels Atlee and Miles were captured and the three battalions were consolidated into a single battalion under Colonel Daniel Brodhead and now revered to as the Pennsylvania State Battalion.  As such they continued to campaigned with Washington's army.

  The Rifle battalion had blue faced white coats, white waistcoat edged red. They wore black caps marked "PR" or hats.  Lead/ black orbrown/tan colored hunting shirts are also mentioned.  My guess (opinion only ) could have been officers in uniform and riflemen in hunting shirts.  But this is only a guess on my part.   The musketeers battalion had blue regimental coats faced red, white waistcoat and buckskin breeches, hats bound yellow.  returns from the State Battalion suggested blue regimental coats faced red with white small clothes.  In addition a flag was supposed to have been issued to the rifle battalions.  "2 standards with a rifle man on" is how it is described.  Possibly (my guess) it and could have been similar to the flag of the Hanover Associated with a red field and rifle man in green hunting shirt. The is also a mention of Colonel Magaw's purple standard being captured at Fort Washington.

Morgan's Rifle battalion: two different units were associated with Daniel Morgan.  In 1775 Morgan commanded a company from Virginia that marched six hundred miles to the siege of Boston.   He later commanded the rifle companies during the march to Quebec city and the assault on that city.  Although the attack was a failure Morgan's reputation was enhanced by his sterling service.  Although captured he was later exchanged.

  Following his exchange he was prompted  to command of the 11th Virginia regiment.  He was later instructed by General Washington to form a new Corps of five hundred men called the Provincial Rifle Corps.  They first saw service against the British under General William Howe during the operations around New Jersey.  They we're then moved to the northern theater and played a decisive role in the Saratoga campaign.

Thompson's Pennsylvania Rifles:  Organized in June 1775 the regiment served during b the siege if Boston and later in the New York and New Jersey campaigns.  In 1777 the regiment was reorganized as a line regiment.  

 Maryland and Virginia Rifles:  Also known as Rawling's Rifle Regiment consisted of nine companies from Maryland and five companies from Virginia.  Because of the mixed nature of the unit it was considered a extra Continental line reginent.  The regiment was captured at Fort Washington in November 1776.  The surviving elements continued to serve with Washington at Trenton and Princeton.  

  Rifled armed regiments should have special abilities in your game.  They have a much longer range then muskets and they should have a higher possible chance to score a hit.  This makes them excellent skirmish troops who could be used to harass and snipe at the line troops.   But, they were not supermen and they also had their disadvantages.   Although more accurate then the smooth bore musket rifles took longer to load and could not mount a bayonet which gives them a disadvantage in close combat.   Because of this reason Morgan at Saratoga had a battalion of light infantry that operated with his rifles.  He later wrote  "My rifle men would have been of little service if they had not always had a line of musket and bayonet men to support us."

The Battle of Chippewa 5 July 1814

  Today is the 208th anniversary of the Battle of Chippewa.  Although minor in terms of numbers the Battle is important in the rebuilding of the American army during the War of 1812.  General Winfield Scott 's highly trained brigade is able to stand toe to toe with British regulars.  The brigades gray jackets becomes the stuff of legend in the history of the American regular army.  

  Back in 1985 as part of our honeymoon Janine and I traveled around the Niagara Falls area.  Our visiting the battlefields of Chippewa, Lundy's Lane, Forts George and Niagara was the start of a life long fascination with not only the War of 1812 but especially with the Niagara campaign of 1814. It was also the start of my interest in wargaming this campaign.

 

  The battle today is remembered by a number of units of the US Army.   The old  25th Infantry was later combined with the 27th, 29th and 37th Infantry Regiments to form the present day 6th Infantry Regiment. The 6th Infantry's motto is "Regulars, by God" from General Riall's remark about the American regulars during the battle.  A number of present day units of the United States Army trace their lineage to this battle and Scott's brigade.  The 25th US Infantry was later combined with the 27th, 29th and 37th Infantry Regiments to form the 6th Infantry Regiment. The 6th Infantry's motto is "Regulars, by God" from General Riall's remark about the American regulars during the battle.  Ten active regular infantry battalions of the United States Army (1-2 Inf, 2-2 Inf, 1-3 Inf, 2-3 Inf, 4-3 Inf, 1-5 Inf, 2-5 Inf, 1-6 Inf, 2-6 Inf and 4-6 Inf) perpetuate the lineages of American infantry regiments (the old 9th, 11th, 19th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd Infantry Regiments) that fought at the Battle of Chippawa.

  The Corps of Cadets of the United States Military Academy at West Point wear gray parade uniforms, but the assertion that they were adopted in commemoration of Scott's troops at Chippawa appears to be a legend, possibly started by General Scott himself.  There were a number of reasons given in 1815 for its selection. Gray wool jackets simply wore well and were considerably cheaper than the regulation blue coat.  Also, the Secretary of War disliked Scott and sent gray jackets (usually associated with militia) for his Brigade as an insult.

  The actual battlefield is preserved as the Chippawa Battlefield Park, a unit of the Niagara Parks Commission.  For a tour of the battlefield check this post from my blog: "A Visit to the Chippewa Battlefield";   https://bravefusiliers.blogspot.com/2018/07/visit-to-chippawa-battlefield-chippawa.htm

  Lastly, if you are interested in reading about the battle I highly recommend "Red Coats and Grey Jackets" by Donald E. Graves.  Outstanding!

 If you are thinking of building a War of 1812 army this is a perfect place to start.  You can, for a very reasonable amount of money build both sides.  Because of the colorful and varied collection of troops its a great way to start your new army.  It is how I started mine.

July 4th

 

            

                                Hope you have a happy and safe 4th July today

 And a salute to the troops of the American colonies.